MCTFisher9120 Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 (edited) Every spring i see lot's of these suckers come up the creek(Oshawa Creek). This spring im going to pass some time and fish for them, but are there any regs i should know about before i go out fishing? Also people say that smaller suckers are good to use as bait for pike/musky/bass, so should i keep any? If so how do i keep them and should i be keeping smaller 5-10" suckers... Thanks for any info. Edited February 9, 2009 by Mike The Bass Fisher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCTFisher9120 Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 I found my regulations book and i don't even see the species listed in it. I'm guessing there ok to fish for and i should have no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeytier Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Just fish for steelhead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drwxr Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 (edited) if im not mistaken you can use bow and arrows on them btw most of them are bigger than 18". Edited February 10, 2009 by efka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemper Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 You can fish them whenever I believe. I suggest fishing for bows, but if the run is short, or the bows arent co operating suckers can be fooled. VERY easily. Great fun on an ultralite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Bring a float rod!!!! I've been told its quite a hoot when they are in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xeon Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Suckers are great bait but the spawners arnt gonna be small, try setting traps in creeks later in the year. Those suckers can get really big so im sure they would be a blast to catch... or blast with archery if your into eating them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brifishrgy Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 they fall under "baitfish" .. you can catch them by fishing for them, netting or trapping them .. I am not sure about bow and arrow though .. I thought that was only carp .. dont have a regs book handy to find out for sure .. as for there uses you can cut them up to catch catfish (leave them out in the sun for a few days to get them good and stinky) or use the smaller ones for pike/muskie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazyhook Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Suckers are fun just don't let your friends see you fishing for them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Mike we used to fish for them when we were kids, simple to do not much equipment was needed a bobber small hook and a split shot and piece of worm. There were no limits for them here in Ohio. Deeper pools were better than fast running water. Used to seine my own bait here, chubs, shiners, and suckers. Suckers were a last resort, about the only time I did any good with them was on Lake Erie for Walleye. Not my first choice for bass, pike or muskie. My uncle who was into muskie fishing used them a lot though and when we used to go to Pointe Au Baril the bait store there sold them up to about 18 inches long for bait. My choice for bigger bass, pike is a chub or shiner 6-10 inches long, 6-8 for bass. Even had 2 1/2- 3 pound bass take an 8 inch chub, you can usually tell it`s a smaller bass, they have to work at it, bigger bass usually just grabs it and goes. Also used small bluegill here for bass, it`s legal here 2-4 inch. Perch in Pointe Au Baril for pike and skis, it was legal in the waters of the great lakes up to the first dam, obstruction. Don`t know if it still is and probably not on inland lakes. Soft ray fish, chubs shiners small shad seem to be easier for them to take, and they know it, pike will take a 8-10 inch chub much faster than a perch. Just never had any luck personally using suckers for pike or skis. Might be a spawning thing? Walleye tend to spawn in streams and rivers? Lots of suckers in them so they are more used to depending on them for a food source? Bass pike and muskie spawn in shallow quiet bays, not many suckers there? Got a lot of walleye, and no smallmouth dragging a swimming jig over rocky bottoms on Lake Erie. Chub or shiner got the smallies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cudz Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Suckers are fun just don't let your friends see you fishing for them Reminds me of the moped joke. I used tonet them for fun when I used to fish for smelt back in the day on Simcoe in Lovers creek. I caught one last fall fishing for bows in the notty. Funny fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cambo Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Used to catch suckers with my hands with my brother. We had a small creek running through our farm we would get waist deep in water and drive them at each other, it was a blast. Ate one once,wouldn't do it again,pretty boney but not to bad tasting. My Grandmother used to can them during the depression so my father wanted no part of that dinner.lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricoboxing Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Reminds me of the moped joke. fat chicks are like mopeds ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Urban Fisherman Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Hey buddy - when I was in college living in london we used to catch them early spring in the thames.... They'd come in by the thousands, biggest one was about a 24 inch redhorse sucker...they're actually really nice looking fish in the spring, with bright red fins and a silver body. You can fish them like steelhead with a float setup, or even just an ultralight rod with a split shot and hook/worm setup. If you decide to go on whim and don't have any worms they'll also readily hit a powerbait twister tail on a light jig head, (like you're walleye fishing) or something I've used in the past is a piece of raw shrimp from the grocery store. Bottom line is when they're in thick it can be non-stop action, and it sure does take care of the fishing itch. Cheers, UF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cudz Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 fat chicks are like mopeds ... didn't want to actually say the joke but, yep that is the one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigugli Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Have found lots of white sucker mixed in with the rainbows on some small tribs in early season. 2 & 3lb suckers get down right scrappy. Take you for a good run down the creek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marko Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Baby suckers are a great bait for pike and if you catch some bigger ones you can chop them up and use them as bait for big cats down in grand river, close to dunnville . I am prety sure they are open all year around and can catch as many as you want. Worm and a sinker work the best for me and like said above non stop action Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beans Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 (edited) Fishing for suckers in the spring over by Lake Simcoe helps to fill in the time between ice-out and the opening of the Kawarthas for crappie (last Saturday of April)... Helps to hone your hook setting, casting, and catch and release skills...besides being a lot of fun ! Edited February 10, 2009 by Beans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Also hooked these on tribs of Lake Erie sucker fishing a bit more of a challenge http://animals.howstuffworks.com/fish/buffalo-fish-info.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt bruce Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Learned to cast a fly line fishing for suckers .. When I bought my first fly rod I spent all winter reading how to books and practiceing my casting in the drive way , but it was only when I got to a river and started catching fish that I finally got the real hang of things and these suckers in the creek behind my aunts house were the first available fish for me to pratice on .great fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCTFisher9120 Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 You can fish them like steelhead with a float setup, or even just an ultralight rod with a split shot and hook/worm setup. If you decide to go on whim and don't have any worms they'll also readily hit a powerbait twister tail on a light jig head, (like you're walleye fishing) or something I've used in the past is a piece of raw shrimp from the grocery store. Bottom line is when they're in thick it can be non-stop action, and it sure does take care of the fishing itch. Cheers, UF I was thinking of using a small circle hook with a little gulp alive leech or something, bouncing it along the bottom with some split shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cudz Posted February 10, 2009 Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 I was thinking of using a small circle hook with a little gulp alive leech or something, bouncing it along the bottom with some split shot. worms work really well especially the ones that have sit out in the sun all day and are nasty and stinky and make you want to barf. Use those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciceri Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Fishing for suckers in the spring over by Lake Simcoe helps to fill in the time between ice-out and the opening of the Kawarthas for crappie (last Saturday of April)... Helps to hone your hook setting, casting, and catch and release skills...besides being a lot of fun ! Beaverton!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikeie Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Learned to cast a fly line fishing for suckers .. When I bought my first fly rod I spent all winter reading how to books and practiceing my casting in the drive way , but it was only when I got to a river and started catching fish that I finally got the real hang of things and these suckers in the creek behind my aunts house were the first available fish for me to pratice on .great fun suckers on the fly are a blast. just dont let the purists see you haha. i catch them in the spring in the barrie area with a 1/8-1/4 ounce jig heads and worms. i find that the small garden worms work the best but crawlers work too. on the fly i use a 6 weight with floating fly line, a 6 foot leader with a size 6 stonefly imitation. this fly is heavly weighted with lead wire and bead head to help it get to bottom, then i tie on a 10" piece of 6 lbs floro to a size 14 mayfly nymph. it kinda gives them a choice. i find it is great practice for trout because your casts have to be accurate as the suckers wont move far to hit your flys. cast ahead of them and let the fly hit bottom. lift it a little bit so you can get the fly within a few inches of the mouths. once it gets there jerk the flys a little to make a little disterbance in the bottom. they will come over and suck it up. give it a good hook set cause there mouths are susprisingliy tough. and they can fight pretty hard they can make decent runs and somtimes they will jump!! the ones i get average around 20" but we have caught bigger ones!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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